


all i see is you

by forbiddenquill



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Drinking, F/F, Fluff and Humor, I had diabetes writing this, Literally no angst detected, Partying, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, its so fucking sweet, just fluff, pure fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:21:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27247213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/forbiddenquill/pseuds/forbiddenquill
Summary: Mina just wants to graduate with flying colors.But it seems that the universe has other plans.(or, alternatively, a fic where Nayeon thinks it’s fate and Mina thinks it’s an inconvenience.)
Relationships: Im Nayeon/Myoui Mina, Minatozaki Sana/Yoo Jeongyeon, past nayeon/jennie
Comments: 16
Kudos: 582





	all i see is you

**Author's Note:**

> Enjoy 11k worth of pure Minayeon fluff!!! 
> 
> Happy Minayeon Day!
> 
> Title is from BTS Jin's Moon.

-

The first time Mina met Im Nayeon, it was the day after her roommate Sana threw a party on their floor. Mina had been cooped up in the university library the night before, focused on completing a 5,000-word essay she needed to pass for one of her electives. Sana had kindly informed her of her plans for that night, giving Mina enough time to grab her laptop from her table and leave the premises before the first guest arrived. There was no way she was going to get caught up in another one of Sana’s antics and have her studies suffer in the process. Sana didn’t seem to mind. In fact, she had even given Mina a bag with a pillow and a blanket inside, walked her out the door, and said, _“Stay safe, love you! I’ll make sure nobody enters your room!”_

Now Mina stared at the front door leading to her apartment, wondering about the extent of damage that had been caused by Sana’s party, before she released a long-suffering sigh and pulled out her key from her pocket. Inside, the mess was… not as bad as she expected it to be. Sure, there were red plastic cups littered around, the couch was overturned, and she spotted what looked like vomit on the kitchen floor. But there was nobody around, which made Mina relax. The last time Sana had thrown a party, there had been a stranger in Sana’s bed—a very pretty stranger with short blonde hair and round glasses who yelped when Mina walked in and immediately bolted out the front door. When Mina asked, Sana had simply shrugged and said, _“Jeongie’s kinda shy, remind me to introduce you guys the next time she’s here.”_

But _Jeongie_ wasn’t here, which Mina was grateful for. She hadn’t brought any money when she left last night and she was _starving._ There was no way she could handle small talk with somebody on an empty stomach. When she peeked into Sana’s room, she found her roommate peacefully asleep, her arm thrown across her eyes in a desperate attempt to fight off the rays of sunlight that was creeping through her window. Mina took note of her disheveled state and wandered back into the kitchen to prepare breakfast for herself and some painkillers for Sana.

One pancake batter mix later, Mina had dropped off a glass of water and two Advils on Sana’s bedside table and headed to her room with her breakfast in hand. To her complete displeasure, she noticed that the door was slightly ajar, which meant that Sana hadn’t fulfilled her promise of keeping people _out_ of her personal space. She tried not to feel too upset but this was the first time her room had been violated and she could feel her mood darkening already. She needed to talk to Sana later, once her roommate's hangover subsided.

When she stepped inside her room, she was surprised to find that things were exactly as she had left it. Well, except for one thing—

“What the hell are you doing here?” she asked the stranger who was in her bed.

The stranger in question—a girl who looked to be about the same age as Mina with short dark hair, large brown eyes, and round cheeks—sat up groggily. “Can you keep your voice down?” she asked, wincing, “I literally just woke up.”

Mina stared at her. “Yeah, in _my_ bed.”

“Wasn’t aware it was yours, okay?” The stranger reached up and scratched her cheek. “You must be Sana’s roommate. Mitang?”

“Mina.”

“Right.” The stranger sat up, running her fingers through her hair. She didn’t look hungover but that was probably because Mina hadn’t witnessed anybody else other than Sana who was hungover. Her cheeks were flushed. “Pleased to meet you, Mina-ssi,” she greeted as she stood, her smile as blinding as the whiteboard behind her head—the same whiteboard that was currently empty but would soon be filled with Mina’s notes for her exam this Monday. The stranger’s smile was reminiscent of a bunny thanks to her two front teeth but it put Mina slightly on edge. It looked like a dangerous smile, after all.

Mina didn’t move from her spot, still holding her breakfast in one hand. “You still haven’t answered my question,” she said.

The stranger waved her off. “It’s a long story,” she mumbled, “I wouldn’t want to take up too much of your time—”

Mina was reminded that she had an upcoming exam and jerked her head over her shoulder. “You’re right, I don’t want you to waste my time,” she said briskly, “I’ll talk to Sana about you sleeping in my room later. Just— _please_ go already. I still have to study.”

The stranger didn’t look put off about being evicted from somewhere she didn’t even belong but she did point at the plate of pancakes in Mina’s hands as she passed by her. “So, did you make those or—?”

Mina sighed and offered her the plate. The stranger grinned, bunny teeth peeking out from heart-shaped lips, and picked one pancake from the mix. She said her thanks and was even nice enough to close the door shut behind her as she left. Mina could hear her moving through the living space, even stopping by Sana’s room to say goodbye before the front door finally shut, and there was silence once again.

Mina put away the image of that bunny smile and went back to studying for her exam.

-

The second time Mina met Im Nayeon, it was at a coffee shop that she frequented on days where she wanted a drink to accompany her while she studied. Her roommate Sana complained that she was working too hard but Mina had a fixed plan in her mind. There was nothing that was going to stop her from accomplishing it.

“ _Mitang!_ ”

The voice was familiar and shrill. It reached Mina’s ears despite her wearing headphones but she still didn’t look up, her eyes fixed on a paragraph that she had been rereading for the past several minutes. She couldn’t make sense of it. It was easy to grasp but for some reason, she couldn’t retain the information long enough in her brain to fully comprehend it.

“ _A service company provides intangible services to customers and does not have inventory_ ,” Mina read out loud, tapping her pen on her notebook, “ _Some examples of service companies include lawyers, doctors, consultants, and accountants. Service companies often have simple financial transactions that involve taking customer deposits, billing clients after services have been provided, providing the service, and processing payments. These activities may occur frequently within a company’s accounting cycle and make up a portion of the service company’s operating—”_

She was interrupted by somebody dropping onto the empty seat in front of her. Startled, she snapped her gaze towards the unwanted guest and met eyes with none other than the stranger from weeks before—the one who had woken up in Mina’s bed and even took one of her pancakes with her.

“You again,” Mina grumbled.

The stranger smiled. It was the same bunny smile Mina had taken note of before—wide, bright and mischievous. “I don’t think I properly introduced myself the last time we met,” she said.

“There’s no need.” Mina swept her gaze back on the book sitting in front of her. “I’m busy.”

But the stranger didn’t waver. Instead, she leaned forward and plucked the book straight out of Mina’s view. “My name is Im Nayeon,” she said, ignoring the way Mina’s mouth dropped open at what she just did, “It’s very nice to meet you again.”

“I can’t say the same for you.”

“You’re very funny.”

Mina let out a sigh and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “What do you want?”

The stranger— _Nayeon_ , Mina reminded herself sternly—gave her a serious look. “I want you to pretend that you’re on a date with me.” At Mina’s raised eyebrows, she was quick to explain: “Okay, don’t look now but my ex-girlfriend is right behind you at the counter and in order to avoid a painfully awkward conversation about why I haven’t returned her designer shirt from my wardrobe, I may or may not have told her that I was on a date with the one person I recognized inside this coffee shop—” At the last word, she gestured lamely at Mina.

“So, you want me to pretend to be your fake girlfriend?”

“No!” Nayeon said in a shrill voice, shaking her head with a ghastly expression on her face—as if she couldn’t imagine such a scenario, “God, no. I just want you to pretend that you’re interested in whatever words are currently coming out of my mouth.”

Mina gave her an unimpressed stare. “First, you sleep on my bed—”

Nayeon rolled her eyes. _“_ The door was _unlocked!”_

“—then you take one of my pancakes—”

“Hello? _You_ offered it!”

“—and _now_ , you want me to pretend that I’m on a date with you?” Mina would’ve thrown her book straight at Nayeon’s face, except that said book was currently still in the other girl’s hands. She settled for rolling her eyes and scoffing instead. “What’s in it for me?”

Nayeon didn’t seem to have thought that far ahead. Thankfully, Mina already had. “Whatever,” she said, “If I _pretend_ to be on a date with you for the next five minutes, can you give me my book back and promise never to show your face around me ever again?”

On the other side of the table, Nayeon had the audacity to look offended. “Now you’re just being mean—”

“I’m really not,” Mina said, “I just want to study, okay?”

Nayeon looked like she wanted to say more but her gaze caught on something behind Mina’s shoulder. Her entire expression changed from offended to accommodating. Mina knew, without having to look, that the ex-girlfriend was here. She straightened her back and prepared her role to play.

“Jennie!” Nayeon greeted in an awfully chirpy voice. Mina had known her for a total of ten minutes but even she could tell that the cheer in her tone was painfully insincere. Hopefully, Jennie was none the wiser.

The ex-girlfriend bowed at them. “Hello again, Nayeon,” she said. Mina gave her a quick once-over. She was pretty. Long, dark hair with sharp eyes, round cheeks and a gummy smile. Together, she and Nayeon resembled the IT couple that dominated high school grounds. Mina wondered why they broke up and realized that she didn’t really particularly care. All she wanted was her book back.

“Hello,” she greeted in return, bowing her head as well.

“Jennie, this is Mina. My date.” Nayeon gestured at her. “And Mina, this is Jennie. You know of her already.”

Mina didn’t say anything and chose to take a sip of her drink at that moment.

“I won’t take up too much of your time,” Jennie said, smiling, “I’m just here to remind Nayeon to return a few of my things while waiting for my coffee. Did you lose your phone? For some reason, I can’t reach you at all.” The latter part of the sentence was directed at her ex.

Nayeon winced as she not so slyly tucked her phone under her hand. Mina felt like she was watching the titanic sink right in front of her. This _was_ painfully awkward.

“Yes,” was all that Nayeon offered.

Jennie raised a cool eyebrow. “If you say so.” Then the barista called for her name and she angled her body towards the counter, looking ready to bolt. “Enjoy your date.” She didn’t sound too happy about it.

When she left, Nayeon sagged in her chair. “I think this is what the ninth circle of hell feels like,” she mumbled.

“How dreadful,” Mina commented dryly, stretching her hand out, “Now can I have my book back?”

Nayeon did as she was told but not before she looked at the cover. “So, you’re an accounting major?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“Tough choice.”

“Hmm.”

“Why’d you choose it then?”

Mina sighed and resisted the urge to throw her book back at Nayeon’s infuriating smile. “I thought I made it clear that I just wanted my book back.”

“What, you can’t enjoy a single conversation before you shoo me away?”

Mina shot her a glare, which she hid by raising her drink up to her lips and taking a quick sip. When Nayeon still stared expectantly at her, she let out another sigh and finally relented: “Accountancy has always been what my parents wanted for me.” 

Nayeon seemed satisfied. “That was my hunch.” 

“Your hunch?” Mina repeated with a curious eyebrow raise. 

“Yeah, there’s no way somebody would study so hard for a degree they willingly chose. Nobody puts that kind of pressure on themself. Well, at least in my experience, anyway.” Nayeon leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. “It’s clear that you’re just doing this for your parents.”

Mina narrowed her eyes. “You don’t know me.”

“I don’t have to.” 

“What’s _your_ major then?” 

“I’m a graduate student studying Literature.” Nayeon smiled at her. “And before you ask—yes, I picked that major for myself.”

Mina put down her drink and picked her book back up. “I wasn’t going to ask.” There was something about Im Nayeon that got under her skin. She felt like scratching it. “Also, just because my parents chose my major doesn’t mean that I don’t want to study it.” 

Nayeon fixed her with a cool stare. “Really?”

Mina nodded. “Yes,” she answered firmly, “I think it’s the most practical decision.”

“But is it what you want?” 

“It doesn’t matter what I want,” Mina mumbled under her breath, “What matters is that I graduate, get a high-paying job, and live comfortably for the rest of my life.” 

Her words must’ve struck a chord in Nayeon because she gasped, one hand flying to her chest in mock outrage. “But, Mina-ssi,” she began, “what’s the point of living if you’re not doing what you want?” 

Mina rolled her eyes and moved to grab her things. If Nayeon was going to take jabs at her choice of majors, then she’d just go somewhere else. She felt as if her day had already been ruined by the sudden appearance of this _stranger_. Just because Sana knew Nayeon didn’t mean she and Mina were automatically friends, after all. She shoved her accounting books into her bag and stood up. 

“I meant what I said earlier,” she told Nayeon, “In exchange for my cooperation in ensuring that you don’t embarrass yourself in front of your ex-girlfriend, I get my book and my peace.” 

Nayeon raised her hands in surrender. “Fine.”

Mina would normally say _see you around_ in this situation but she had specifically asked Nayeon not to show her face around her ever again. Looking back at it now, she realized that might’ve been too harsh, even if it was in the name of her studies. She couldn’t take it back now, especially with Nayeon already pulling her phone out from her pocket and checking her messages. Mina bit the inside of her cheek, shook her head and quickly left the coffee shop. 

Hopefully, that would be the last time she saw Im Nayeon. 

-

It was not the last time she saw Im Nayeon.

The third time Mina saw Nayeon again, it was at an open mic event hosted by her good friend Son Chaeyoung. She initially didn’t want to go but she’d barely seen Chaeyoung around anymore, mostly because she was always cooped up in her room or at the library studying for her exams or doing her requirements. And it was hard to say no to Chaeng, especially when her friend would pout and complain, “ _But I haven’t seen you in_ forever _!”_

It was an exaggeration, of course—they’d seen each other a month earlier. But for Chaeyoung, that seemed like forever already. Mina couldn’t say no. Chaeyoung was her dearest friend, after all. So, when Chaeyoung texted her one day that she was hosting an open mic event in a small, obscure bar near the campus, Mina had sighed and cleared her studying sessions for that day. Friends come first. 

But when Mina entered the bar half an hour before the event started, her eyes fell on a figure standing next to Chaeyoung at the counter and she stopped dead in her tracks. 

“Mina-unnie!” Chaeyoung called, spotting her in the doorway, “Over here!” 

Mina approached the two cautiously, offering Chaeyoung a smile and then feeling that same smile fade at the sight of Nayeon, who looked like she had dressed up for tonight. The older girl winked at her but didn’t say anything. Instead, she just lightly tapped Chaeyoung on the arm and gestured that she had somewhere to be. Chaeyoung nodded and even threw in a thumbs-up for good measure. Mina’s eyes followed after Nayeon as she walked away before it landed back on her friend.

“So, Im Nayeon,” Mina began, hoping to sound at least uninterested. 

Chaeyoung raised her eyebrows as she signalled the bartender over. “You know her?”

“Unfortunately.” Mina waved away Chaeng’s offer to pay for her drinks, knowing that she had a lot of studying to catch up to the next day. “How do you two know each other?” 

The bar was playing soft music, which Mina was grateful for because Chaeyoung didn’t have to raise her voice to be heard: “Oh, she’s going to sing later.” 

“She can sing?” Of course Nayeon could sing. That seemed like her.

Chaeyoung nodded. “Yeah, she saw the poster and contacted me afterwards. I haven’t heard her sing but I think she’s good.”

“I see,” Mina mumbled. She wanted to ask more but stopped herself. This was Chaeyoung’s event and she was going to enjoy it, even if Im Nayeon was just around the corner. So, she listened attentively as Chaeyoung changed the subject. Soon, the open mic started and Chaeyoung finished her shot of tequila in one go before she swaggered to the small platform meant to be the stage. 

The bar was packed with regulars and a few newcomers who were curious about the open mic. On stage, a girl sat behind a portable piano. She looked to be the same age as Chaeyoung with long dark hair swept on one shoulder and pale skin almost glowing under the fluorescent lights. When Chaeng got up on stage, the girl looked up and nodded at her. It seemed like they knew each other already.

All the seats were full so Mina strayed to the very back where she leaned on the wall and crossed her arms. Chaeyoung introduced herself as the host and then listed off a few names that would be performing tonight: Son Seungwan and Im Nayeon were going to be singing separately, Kim Dahyun was going to play the piano, Chaeyoung had a poem prepared and another Chaeyoung ( _you can call me Rose_ ) would be singing as well. The crowd was welcome to come up on stage if they wanted to perform. Judging from a few agreeable murmurs, Mina could already see that the night was going to be a success.

"Fancy seeing you here," a voice commented next to her.

Mina sighed, not needing to turn her head to know that Nayeon was standing next to her. "Big surprise that _you're_ here," she said. Even though she knew she was completely in the right the last time they met, she couldn’t help but feel slightly guilty about what had happened between them.

Nayeon beamed, raising a bottle of soju to her lips. “Regarding our deal, I wasn’t even aware that you were going to be here, you know. Plus, a bar is the last place I’d expect to see you.”

Nodding stiffly, Mina muttered, “It’s just a small world.”

“Yeah. I didn’t know you were friends with Chaengie.”

“She’s my best friend.”

Nayeon’s lips quirked into a smile. “ _That_ , I didn’t see.”

The girl Chaeyoung had pointed out as Son Seungwan went on stage, looking absolutely adorable in a blonde bob with a happy grin, and grabbed the mic. The music started. As she sang her rendition of _Can’t Help Falling In Love_ , Mina looked over at Nayeon again. 

“How do you know Sana?” she asked, wanting to change the topic. This had been a question she wanted to ask ever since she found Nayeon in her bed that day.

“She’s sort of dating my best friend Jeongyeon,” the older girl answered with a fond smile.

“Jeongyeon… do you mean _Jeongie_?” 

Nayeon laughed. “Yeah, her. I came by Sana’s party that day because I wanted to keep Jeong company. I think I lost track of her afterwards and just decided to crash in your room for the night.” She picked at the sticker on her soju bottle. “They’re both idiots who are crazy about each other, you know.”

Mina didn’t know Jeongyeon that well to classify her as an idiot but yeah, she can definitely agree with that statement when it came to Sana. She snorted. “The last time I saw Jeongyeon, she was in Sana’s bedroom,” she told Nayeon, uncrossing her arms to place them behind her back, “I don’t know why I keep meeting new people just as they’re waking up from beds.”

A surprised laugh sprung out of Nayeon’s lips with ease and Mina found herself staring at the bunny smile that graced the older girl’s features. She forced herself to look away. 

“Maybe it’s a sign,” Nayeon said slowly, the crease between her eyebrows evident, “for you to get out of your room and meet new people, don’t you think?”

“What makes you think I don’t go out and meet new people every other day?” Mina asked. 

The unimpressed look Nayeon sent her was almost enough to make Mina shrink back into herself. “Based on the only two times I’ve seen you, the first thing that pops up from your mouth is: _I have to study_.” The older girl waved her bottle of soju at her. “Live a little, Mina-ssi. I promise—your studies can wait. Take it from a grad student, okay?"

Mina pursed her lips and refrained from commenting. Nayeon nodded, apparently satisfied with how the conversation had gone, and finished the rest of her drink. When Son Seungwan finished with her song, the older girl put away the bottle and took a deep breath. Chaeyoung called out her name. Just as Nayeon was about to head on stage, Mina felt compelled to say: “Good luck, Nayeon-ssi.”

Nayeon looked surprised but the gesture was well-appreciated, if her bright, bunny smile was anything to go by. “Thank you, Mina-ssi.”

When Nayeon grabbed the microphone from Seungwan and lightly danced to the opening beat of Paramore’s _Into You_ , Mina found herself smiling. Maybe it wasn’t so bad that she had met Im Nayeon, after all. 

-

After the third meeting, Mina stopped keeping track.

It felt like Im Nayeon was always just around the corner—like she was _everywhere_. Mina didn’t realize how small the world truly was until she was running into Nayeon in the hallways or at the libraries or even at the small noodle shop she and Sana frequented on days where they didn’t have money on them. Even the people around her seemed to know who she was. For Sana, Im Nayeon was Jeongyeon's best friend. For Chaeyoung, Im Nayeon was the cool graduate student who could hold a high note. Even the girl in Mina’s English class—Chou Tzuyu—knew Im Nayeon as the girl who did part-time at a pizza shop to pay off her coffee cravings. 

It felt strange—being a nobody who knew a _somebody_. It felt like a well-kept secret, a dandelion held in the cusp of Mina’s palms. Nayeon could smile at her from across the room and only Mina would know. Nayeon could approach her in a crowded area, talk about the time they went on a date, and Mina would laugh because it wasn’t true. And only she knew it wasn’t true. Nayeon could even pluck the book from Mina’s hands without getting reprimanded because she had already done it before. And only Mina knew that. 

Im Nayeon had somehow squeezed her way into Mina’s entire schedule. If this was on purpose, Mina wasn’t sure. On Mondays, when Mina got up early for a jog, Nayeon would be emerging from the streets in her work uniform with her earphones plugged in. She wouldn’t see Mina watching her from afar but Mina would always tuck this small moment into the back of her head and go about her day. On Tuesdays, Mina would spot Nayeon at a random coffee shop, sipping her drink and reading something on her phone, and resisted the urge to wave. On Thursdays, Mina would see Nayeon waiting with Jeongyeon outside her apartment for Sana to emerge from her room. They’d invite Mina to come along but she’d shake her head and mention something about an upcoming exam and she’d see the smallest crease appear in between Nayeon’s eyebrows each time she declined their offer. 

If Mina didn’t see Nayeon in person, then she’d hear about her for sure. Mostly from Sana: _“Nayeon-chan was_ sooo _funny the other day!”_ _“I’m going to this party tomorrow night. Nayeon will be there.” “Jeongyeon is so cute when she’s talking about her childhood friend Nayeon_. _”_ And when _that_ wasn’t enough, Mina would scroll her Instagram feed during her break, see a picture posted by one of her classmates—like Hirai Momo, for example—and stare at Nayeon’s grinning face on the screen.

Im Nayeon was everywhere. 

And Mina realized she no longer minded. 

-

The next time Mina saw Nayeon, it was at three on a Monday morning.

“ _Mitang!”_ Nayeon was grinning from ear to ear as she slipped in between the train doors with three boxes of pizza in her hands. She wore her work uniform with a hat tucked on top of her short hair. “What a pleasant surprise,” she said, plopping down on the seat next to Mina, who was wearing a cashmere coat to fight off the cold. 

The first thing Mina said was not, “ _hello_ ” or even “ _are you stalking me?”_ but “why are you riding the train? Don’t you have a car?” 

Nayeon laughed. “Yeah, but it broke down while I was making my deliveries.” She patted the pizza boxes next to her affectionately. “You know college students. They can’t survive without their pizza. The train is the next best option.”

Mina was staring hard at her. “You’re so…” She couldn’t even finish the sentence because there didn’t seem to be a good enough word in all the dictionaries out there that could perfectly describe Im Nayeon.

“Hardworking?” Nayeon suggested, giggling. “No need to tell me _that_ , Mina-yah." 

Mina sighed and crossed her arms. “Nevermind.” She wondered when the line between _Mina-ssi_ and _Mina-yah_ had been crossed. 

Now it was Nayeon’s turn to stare hard at her. “So, are you going to tell me why you’re not asleep right now?” 

“Because I’m riding the train and I don’t want to get pickpocketed while I’m sleeping?” 

Nayeon rolled her eyes. “No, you dork. I’m asking why you’re even riding the train at three in the morning in the first place.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a wad of gum. Normally, Mina hated talking to people who chewed gum in her presence. She thought it was annoying. But she found herself not caring too much about it when Nayeon popped one into her mouth. 

“I was hungry,” she explained. She’d been, as usual, studying. 

“Couldn’t order take-out or something?” 

Mina shrugged. “I also wanted to walk around.” 

Nayeon hummed thoughtfully, her jaw moving in rhythm. “It’s dangerous for a girl to be walking around at night.” 

“I could say the same for you.” Mina smiled. “Thanks for worrying, Nayeon-unnie." 

Nayeon snorted and leaned back in her seat. The train was picking up speed, hurtling onto the next stop. Soon, they would reach their destination. Mina tucked her arms deeper into her coat pockets and tilted her head upwards to glare at the flickering light above them. Her new companion didn’t say anything for a while, which was odd. Nayeon always seemed like the type of person who liked to chatter. It only took Mina a few seconds to realize why, when she felt Nayeon’s head drop against her shoulder, apparently having succumbed to her exhaustion amidst the dull thrum of the train. 

Mina angled her gaze towards the older girl, leaning forward to catch sight of Nayeon’s expression under the brim of her hat. When she was asleep, Nayeon looked so much younger, less mature and less grown-up. Her face was relaxed, her lips slightly parted. There was no crease between her eyebrows. Mina always thought she was pretty but now she was looking at a different kind of beauty—one that blossomed even without her noticing. 

Mina thought about the pile of homework waiting for her back at her place and then of something Nayeon had told her a long time ago: _Live a little, Mina-ssi._ Something in her chest started—an ache that felt as if it had always been there. She wondered what it meant. 

-

“I want you to take me to a party,” Mina told Sana over dinner. 

Sana looked up, startled. The spoon she held in her hand clattered to the table, making Mina wince at the sharp noise it made. It was a Tuesday night. Mina had already turned in her most pressing requirements and was enjoying a rare moment of downtime. Sana had suggested they watch a movie for tonight, which was quickly countered by Mina’s earlier statement. 

Sana was staring at her as if she’d grown a second head.

“What,” Mina shot back, growing suddenly conscious under the intensity of Sana’s stare. 

“You hate parties,” Sana told her.

“No, I don’t.” Mina played with her ramyun noodles. She hoped that the steam was a good enough explanation as to why her cheeks were burning. “I like parties.”

“Everytime I tell you I’m throwing a party here, you look like I just murdered your mom.” 

“Because I was studying,” Mina feebly said. 

Sana waved her off. “You’re _always_ studying.” She seemed to consider what Mina was saying because a moment later, she let out a sigh and nodded. “I don’t know any parties happening right now but Park Sooyoung—you remember her, right? I think she’s throwing one this Saturday.” 

Mina beamed. “Great! Let’s go then.” 

“Hmm.” Sana picked up her spoon from the table and wiped it off with a napkin, her gaze a weight that Mina wanted to shed off. “If you say so, Mitang.” She returned to eating her dinner. 

Mina wasn’t done yet, however. “Do you think…” she hesitated, wondering how much to give away before Sana would piece two and two together. “You should invite Jeongyeon to come along,” was what she finally settled for, clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth. “It would be fun, you know.”

“Okay, I’ll tell her about it.”

“Okay.” Mina cleared her throat. “Maybe you should ask her to bring Nayeon along as well. I don’t want to be a third wheel, you know.” She was painfully aware that she had said _you know_ twice within the past minute. It was unlike her. 

Sana looked up at her slowly, eyebrows furrowing together in contemplation. Then her expression gradually changed. Her lips spread into a devious grin. All she said was “Okay, Mitang,” in an awfully cheerful voice that made the hair on the back of Mina’s neck stand up in attention. But the moment was gone and Sana was back to finishing her dinner. 

Mina took her ramyun cup in both hands and slurped the remaining soup in an effort to shield the shame written all over her face.

-

Park Sooyoung’s party hadn’t even started yet and Mina already hated it. 

In front of her, Sana and Jeongyeon were glued to the hip as they walked the short distance from the apartment to Sooyoung’s, giggling together and basically being the annoying couple that Mina avoided each time she was out in the city. Nayeon mimicked slicing her own throat with her thumb and Mina had to bite back a laugh. Okay. Maybe there was something about tonight that she didn't have to hate. 

"It's weird seeing you without a book in your hand," Nayeon commented when they had to stop for a moment to purchase something from the nearest 7/11.

Mina busied herself with being interested in the shampoo aisle while simultaneously keeping Nayeon in her line of sight. "Well, I don't have anything to study for at the moment." It felt like a confession, somehow—like she'd given up something she hadn't realized she'd been holding onto. 

Nayeon hummed. Mina continued to watch her, waiting for something that never came. Sana and Jeongyeon were now at the counter, paying for a snack craving they both had at the same time. Then it was time to go. The crisp night air bit into Mina's skin as she followed her friends. 

The party was in full swing by the time they arrived. Park Sooyoung—a tall, drop-dead gorgeous, raven-haired Physics major—greeted Sana at the door and was swept away by her own crowd of partygoers. Mina almost felt like an intruder, watching everything take place on the other side of that door. But then Nayeon grabbed her by the wrist and she found herself getting pulled in as well. 

"Do you do this a lot?" Mina asked Nayeon on the way to the kitchen, where the drinks were being served. Jeongyeon had followed after Sana. 

The lights were so blinding it almost hurt to look at the wide smile on Nayeon's face. "Do what?" 

Mina gestured all around them. "Partying," she answered even though she wanted to add _showing up everywhere, having part-time jobs, going on coffee runs every other day_ but she didn't. Nayeon didn't know that Mina knew all these things about her, having collected them through a string of coincidences that were starting to feel like fate somehow. She didn't know why she didn't want Nayeon to know all these things. They were friends. It would be entirely normal to see each other from afar. 

"If I'm invited," Nayeon replied, preparing a drink for Mina to match her own, "which I usually am." 

"Huh." Mina accepted the red plastic cup Nayeon offered her. It was when she finally stopped watching the older girl that she took a long look around the apartment. It was larger than the one she shared with Sana but it didn't feel that way with how tightly packed everything felt, like she was a tuna squished together with other tuna inside a can. The music was loud enough that she felt it vibrating through the soles of her feet but not loud enough that it drowned out the next words that popped out of Nayeon's mouth: "You're cute, you know."

Mina was so startled the cup nearly slipped from her grip. At her expression, Nayeon laughed and took a quick sip of her drink. "I mean it," she said, "You're cute when you're trying to prove something." 

Mina hadn't even drunk anything yet but now it felt like her entire body was buzzed. She'd only tasted alcohol once or twice—the first during Chaeyoung's 18th birthday, the second was on the night her brother found out he could go to the States to play American football. While she was technically a stranger to alcohol, she was still familiar with how it made her body feel. Now, Nayeon was giving her the same effects—a flush on her cheeks and a tingly sensation in the tips of her fingers. 

"What am I trying to prove?" she shot back, following after the older girl who was starting to gravitate towards the dance floor. 

"That you can have fun." Nayeon gave her a steady look, a smirk playing on her lips. " _Can_ you, Mina-yah?" 

Mina didn't think she had wanted to prove anything. While her initial intentions for asking Sana to bring her to this party had been blurred at first, it became clear what had pushed her to ask her roommate to bring Nayeon along. At the end of the day, Mina had wanted to see Nayeon up close and personal. A part of her had been tired of seeing her from afar, catching only glimpses of her in coffee shops and Instagram posts, and stumbling across her in the most random of times. Nayeon was a distraction—one that Mina didn't mind. 

But there was no way she was going to say any of that out loud so she took a long swig of her drink, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, and took on Nayeon's challenge. 

-

The next day, Mina experienced her first-ever hangover. She woke up to the smell of something burning, which made her sit up abruptly in her haste to figure out if Sana had made her way into the kitchen again, but then her head started to pound, accompanied by a ringing sensation in her ears that just wouldn't go away. If the apartment burned down because she was sleeping, let it. She'd rather die burning than deal with this headache. She turned in her bed, covering her face to shield from the rays of sunlight that was peeking through the window, and realized something in the half second her eyes fluttered open.

This was not her room. 

"Shit," she said, slowly sitting back up again. All thoughts and worries of getting kidnapped and being served brunch by her kidnapper were thrown out the window when she found her phone lying on the bedside table. Sana's latest message had been: _dont stay at nayeons for too long or i'll start missing u xoxo_ , which made her both relax and not relax. Okay. She wasn't kidnapped then. That was one less problem to worry about. But that also meant that she was at _Nayeon's_ , which was an entirely new territory to navigate. She bit her lip, wondering if it was possible to slip through the window unnoticed, when it occurred to her that she was at _Nayeon's_ and this was an opportunity that would never be presented before her again. 

She slipped from the bed, dryly noting the purple blankets, before she swept her gaze around the room. It was slightly bigger than hers back at her place but with more stuff inside. At first glance, everything looked disorganized but upon closer inspection, Mina saw that there was a certain arrangement that only Nayeon knew about. On the dresser was a bunch of make-up products that looked like it had only been used once before it was left haphazardly behind, forgotten amongst the other pile of products she must've bought on a whim. Next to the dresser was a bookshelf, which was more organized than anything else in the room. It was filled with books from all over the world—Japan, Germany, Russia, Europe—but the ones from Korea were the most prominent. Mina recognized a few classics such as _The Old Garden_ , _Drifting House_ and _East Goes West_. She reached out to brush her fingers against their rigid spines, knowing that they were well-kept and cared for. When she moved back to survey the rest of the area, she spotted Nayeon's study table under the window. University papers were kept in one side while the other was filled with the most random assortments Mina had ever seen—polaroids of Jeongyeon smiling goofily at the camera and of Nayeon sitting next to a girl with red hair who Mina didn't recognize; bracelets and necklaces; sticky notes with footnotes hastily written for her essays; and an empty Starbucks cup. A laptop was neatly placed right in the middle and it had not been spared from Nayeon's decorations as the back was littered with a bunch of cutely drawn stickers. 

Mina realized she was smiling as she finished one last sweep of the room. It was both intriguing and endearing to see Im Nayeon in her element. She couldn't help but immortalize this place into her mind, tucking it away for her to revisit in the near future. Once she was satisfied, she picked her phone up from the bedside table and headed outside. 

"Oh, you're awake!" 

Nayeon was standing in the kitchen, cooking what smelled like pancakes, which explained the burning smell permeating through the air. The same red-haired girl Mina had seen in the polaroids sat at the dinner table, a cup of coffee in front of her. She gave Mina a warm smile, which was reciprocated. 

"Mina, right?" the redhead asked, "Nayeon has told me all about you. My name is Park Jihyo, her roommate."

"Yeah." Mina cleared her throat and took a seat next to Jihyo. "It's nice to meet you." 

"Same here, I've been curious." Jihyo gave her roommate a look. "Nayeon seems intent on shielding you from me." 

Nayeon made a face as she deposited a plate of pancakes that ranged from good to charred and a cup of coffee in front of Mina. “I didn’t want to disturb Mina’s studying.” Then she fixed Jihyo with a cool stare. “She’s almost as bad as you when it comes to studies.” 

Jihyo beamed at Mina. “Do you also have a color-coded schedule regarding the times you have to study for certain subjects?” 

It was almost embarrassing to nod and admit it. Jihyo laughed, looking absolutely delighted. On the other hand, Nayeon wore an amused expression on her face. When she finished cooking, she joined them at the table and split the pancakes evenly between them. Mina saw that she was given the most salvageable ones in the mix while Jihyo got those that looked badly burned. The redhead in question scowled at the realization. Nayeon just grinned.

“How’s the hangover?” she asked, directing the question to Mina. 

Now that she had mentioned it, the headache almost disappeared the second Mina saw Nayeon again. The thought made her flush. She was quick to shake her head. “It’s bearable,” she mumbled. She wasn’t sure if she was doing a good job of convincing Nayeon, whose eyebrows furrowed together in concern. 

“I heard that you had a lot of fun last night, Mina-ssi,” Jihyo told her. 

“Really? I can’t remember.” 

Nayeon snorted. “Of course you wouldn’t. You drank half your weight in alcohol. It’s a miracle that you’re even standing right now.” She pointed at the coffee she had prepared earlier. “Now drink up so that you’ll feel even better.” 

Mina did as she was told and licked her lips dry when Nayeon started digging into the pancakes. It reminded her of the first time they had met—when Nayeon had plucked one straight from her plate and went about her day. Back then, it had infuriated Mina to no end. But when she thought of it now, the memory was tinged with fondness. Things had gradually changed. Again, she found herself not minding one bit.

Mina picked up her fork and took a bite of her pancake. She chewed it slowly. “It’s a bit salty,” she commented, much to the roommates’ chagrin.

Nayeon shot a glare at Jihyo. “Jihyo prepared the batter,” she said accusingly. 

Jihyo gasped in mock outrage. “You were the one who told me to add some salt!” 

“Yeah, but you dumped half the bottle in!” 

Before a full-on brawl could happen right in front of her eyes, Mina lied through her teeth: “It’s fine, I like my pancakes salty.” She forced another chunk into her mouth and swallowed it down. Then she not so subtly reached for the coffee cup again, which somehow made the pancake taste even worse than it already did. Nayeon and Jihyo were both watching her carefully. 

“You must really like Nayeon a lot to pretend these were any good,” Jihyo said after a moment, pushing aside her plate of burned pancakes and resigning herself to a breakfast consisting only of coffee. 

Mina nearly choked on her drink but Nayeon just laughed. It wasn't her usual laugh—the one that was sharp and loud and consisted of everything good in the world. No, this one was softer, deliberate even. Like a hand carving a marble statue, trying to feel for any rough spots or imperfections to smooth them out later. Mina realized Nayeon was looking at her as she laughed, almost as if she was gauging her reaction. It made her cheeks burn. 

When Mina didn't respond to Jihyo's comment, Nayeon took a bite of her own pancake. "It's okay," she said around a mouthful of food, "I like salty pancakes too." 

-

Mina didn't know why she would even bother, really, but she found herself waking up a little later on Monday. According to her calculations, Nayeon would be arriving from her work at around 5 AM and Mina wanted to be in the right place at the right time to meet her in the middle. It seemed creepy at first but the goal was to run into Nayeon again. This seemed like a harmless little coincidence. 

Which is what led to her saying, "oh, hi unnie! Didn't expect to see you so soon" when she placed herself in the exact intersection leading to Nayeon's house. Nayeon was still wearing her pizza hat but she took it off, along with her earphones, when she saw who was standing in front of her. 

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were stalking me," she said with a tired but still bright grin. 

"I was just jogging," Mina mumbled, almost lamely. She pointed at her shoes. "See?" Her cheeks were flushed. If Nayeon asked, she could blame the cold.

Nayeon didn't look at where she was pointing at. Instead, she hummed and said, "So, are you done jogging or not?" 

Mina had barely even started but she found herself saying, "Yeah." 

"Cool. Do you want to grab breakfast with me or something? There's a diner up close. They make the best omelette," Nayeon said it casually, so used to making plans without planning them ahead of time, her tone so carefree and spontaneous, that Mina, feeling inspired and almost buzzed, said yes without thinking. 

Half an hour later, she was sitting across Nayeon in a small booth with their breakfast sitting in front of them. The diner was quaint and warm. It seemed like a popular place too, as there were many occupants inside, ordering coffee and the infamous omelette that Nayeon had spoken of earlier. When Mina tasted the coffee, she couldn't help the soft hum that slipped past her lips at the taste. It was good. No wonder Nayeon had recommended it. Speaking of the older girl, she was already digging into her omelette, quickly devouring everything as if she had barely eaten anything at all during her entire shift. 

"So," Mina began, finding it odd to be sitting in silence with Nayeon, "you work part-time." 

Nayeon nodded, her cheeks all puffed up with the food she had eaten. "You already know that."

"When do you come in?" 

"When I have the time," Nayeon replied easily. She took a quick sip of her coffee. "I don't really have a fixed position there. My uncle owns the place and I just chip in every now and then to help out." 

"That's… very nice of you," Mina said slowly. She hadn't expected that. Now there was something else about Nayeon that she had learned. She felt as if she had discovered bedrock in a game of Minecraft. 

"It is what it is." Nayeon gestured at her plate. "You should eat up. The eggs taste good when they're still hot." 

Mina did as she was told, watching Nayeon under hooded lids and pouring ketchup all over her eggs. The moment felt so domestic—so _normal_ , like they'd done it a hundred times before—that she couldn't help but analyze the image in front of her: Im Nayeon, wearing her work uniform, eyes tired but smile still bright, with a plate of omelette and a cup of coffee, and the rays of sunlight pouring in from the window and making her look golden under its warm glare. Her hair had gotten longer since the first time they met. It was no longer cut in a short bob but now reached past her shoulders. It slowly occurred to Mina just how long they've known each other, even though it didn't feel quite that long. 

Before, Nayeon had been nothing more than a face she recognized in a crowd—a person you couldn't quite call a friend or an acquaintance. Something in between, perhaps. Someone who slowly became more. She was always there, the same way Sana was always in the living room watching a movie whenever Mina woke up in between odd hours in the night and the same way Chaeyoung would always remain as a favorite number in her contacts list. Now, Nayeon was still here but closer than ever. Mina could even consider her a close friend.

Mina tried to immortalize this scene in front of her, worried that it might be the only time she got to see Nayeon like this—exhausted from work but not enough that she couldn't talk about the annoying customers she had to deal with or listen to how Mina aced one of her electives. Mina realized, half a second later, that her worries were for naught. Because they were friends now and if there was anything friends did best, it was to come together and enjoy new food. 

"You have a little bit of ketchup there," Nayeon said suddenly, pointing at her mouth.

Mina reached up and wiped whatever it was on her face but she must've not gotten it right because Nayeon laughed and reached across the table to wipe it for her. The softest brush of her thumb against the bottom of Mina's lip made the younger girl pause. But Nayeon didn't seem to notice the intensity of her stare because she simply leaned back and licked the ketchup of her thumb. 

"There," she said triumphantly, "It's all gone now." 

"Right," Mina murmured, feeling as if she was hearing herself from the other end of a tunnel. 

_All gone now_ , Nayeon had said but Mina felt something in her chest start back up again. She had already felt this before. This was familiar. This was… _warm._ It was an ache again—similar to the feeling she felt each time she finished a lap in her exercise. Heartbeat thrumming in her ears, blood pounding furiously in her veins, chest heaving and working to get enough oxygen in her lungs. She pressed her lips together, trying not to look too affected, and ducked her head to focus on her food. 

She didn't notice Nayeon's gaze on her—steady and meaningful, holding words that for some reason, she couldn’t say out loud. Instead, she let the silence stew between them. But it was far from awkward. Because just like Mina, Nayeon also knew that they were friends. 

-

“How do you know if it’s love?” 

Once again, Sana stared at her like she had grown a second head. They were both sitting in the living room, watching a random Nicholas Sparks movie that Sana had been dying to see since her midterms ended. Mina was wearing a wool sweater, trying to fight off the nonexistent cold. But now she felt _too_ warm. She scratched at her neck, feeling a brush creep up on her face when she saw the slow understanding set in on Sana’s features. 

“Is there a reason why you’re asking?” her roommate inquired, reaching for the remote to pause the movie. 

Mina cleared her throat. “No particular reason,” she mumbled. 

“Sure.” Sana looked smug for her own good and Mina hastily moved to change the subject, 

“Like with Jeongyeon… when did you know that you liked her?” 

Sana tucked her feet under her weight as she turned her body to face Mina. “ _Mitang_ ,” she began, smiling so widely that it looked like it hurt, “I’ve been waiting for you to ask me! You’re always cooped up in your room. I only see you in the mornings or during dinner. I’ve been _dying_ to talk about my love life.” 

Mina winced. “Sorry, Sana-chan.”

“It’s okay!” Sana rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “So, the first time I realized I like Jeongyeon, huh? Hmm. I think it was the day she came by here to drop off some Chinese takeout when I told her I hadn’t eaten lunch yet.” 

“When was that?”

“I’m not sure, I just know that you were in the library.” Sana’s eyes were bright with fondness at the thought of Jeongyeon. Mina wondered what that felt like. To think of somebody and have your entire soul glow radiant. “Anyway, she came by and I asked her to stay and we ended up watching a bunch of cute dog videos on the internet. She has such an adorable laugh, have you heard it? You should. It’s like… God, I don’t know how to explain it but it just makes me so happy.” 

Mina watched as Sana’s eyes continued to sparkle, as her cheeks turned pink, as her hands moved in big gestures, like she was trying to describe the love she felt for Jeongyeon but couldn’t quite get it right. Something in Mina’s chest ached. It felt like envy. 

“And the second time I realized that I really liked her… well, it was the day after we first slept together. I think you remember—”

“No need to remind me,” Mina interjected.

“—oops, my bad! Anyway, she met up with me after one of my classes, took me out on a date and when we were riding the train on the way back here, she sang me to sleep.” Sana’s voice sounded dreamy, like she had just described everything she could possibly ever want out of somebody. And for some reason, when Mina thought about what she wanted, she could hear Nayeon’s voice in the back of her head: _What’s the point of living if you’re not doing what you want?_

Mina scratched her neck again. “That’s sweet of Jeongyeon,” she said quietly. 

“Yeah.” Sana gave her a meaningful look. “When it comes to love, you can’t logic your way in and out of it. It just happens. Sometimes, it happens without you realizing it.” 

Mina mulled those words over. “I see,” she said. She wasn’t sure if her talk with Sana helped or not. She just felt even more conflicted but over what—she still wasn’t certain. So she just sighed and gestured for her roommate to start the movie back up again. The night dragged on and yet, Mina could only think of that day in the diner—Nayeon reaching across the table to wipe the ketchup off her bottom lip and then playing it off as it was nothing. But it wasn’t nothing to Mina. If it was nothing, then Mina would’ve stopped thinking about it a long time ago. But she hadn’t.. And it must’ve meant _something_ if she hadn’t.

-

The next time Mina saw Nayeon again, it was the day after finals week had ended. Everybody was exhausted after studying nonstop for the past month and having all kinds of information crammed into their brain. Chaeyoung had even texted Mina with: _i’m dead dont talk to me for the next 72 hrs i will be hibernating._ Even Sana, who never failed to attend a party at least once a week, had collapsed on the couch the second she arrived home, leading to Mina coaxing her out of her clothes and into a hot bath so that she could properly relax. Things were winding down for the university students. Mina, who had spent the past few months studying, passing her homework on time, and even getting some light reading on days where she didn’t have anything better to do, found herself at a loss on what to do next. That was one of the downsides of scheduling everything down to the second—when the battle was over and the smoke had cleared, she was stuck in a standstill. Waiting and waiting...

She didn’t have to wait long. 

“We meet again,” Nayeon said, grinning broadly when she dropped down on the empty stool next to Mina in the small noodle shop she always visited each time she wanted something warm; "I'm starting to think this is meant to be."

Mina, who already had a cup of steaming ramen noodles sitting in front of her, choked on the soup. “Unnie,” she said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, “I didn’t expect to see you here.” 

It was cold outside, which meant that Nayeon was all covered up—a brown beanie topped on her head, a bright red sweater that looked very comfortable on her, and mittens that seemed too small for her, since she kept trying to pull them down. She ordered her own ramen and fixed her gaze on Mina, who was not so subtly watching her from the corner of her eye. 

“How were your exams?” Nayeon asked. 

“Good,” Mina replied quickly. She felt warm again and she knew that it had nothing to do with the soup in her belly and the steam coming from the kitchen. “I think I did good.”

“I’m sure you did amazing,” Nayeon told her confidently and Mina resisted the urge to preen.

“Thank you, unnie.” 

The two of them ate in silence, just like back at the diner. Only this time, they were sitting next to each other instead of across. This posed a problem to Mina, who quickly realized that Nayeon could catch her looking every single time she turned her head slightly to sneak in a couple of glances. If there was anything Mina was, it was subtle. But she was definitely not being subtle now, especially when she watched Nayeon slurp down noodles like her life depended on it, watched the redness of her lips as she drank the soup, watched the way she picked up a napkin and dapped at her chin. 

“Is there something on my face?” Nayeon finally asked after their bowls were empty and the bill was paid. 

Mina’s knee jerked so hard she hit the underside of the counter. “Nothing,” she hastily said. 

Nayeon didn’t look like she believed her. “Mina-yah,” she said seriously, “you would tell me if I had something on my teeth, right? You would? Good. Now, tell me if I have something on my teeth.” She bared her teeth out for the entire world to see and Mina was so startled she laughed. 

“You look pretty, unnie,” she said, still giggling, “You always do.”

Nayeon seemed very satisfied with that answer. “Perfect.”

Now it was time to leave. Mina tightened her coat around her as she followed Nayeon out of the noodle shop. The streets outside were empty except for a couple of people still milling about. Since she had slept for the majority of the afternoon, Mina had come here for a late dinner. Now, it was getting darker, the clock inching towards ten in the evening. She hadn’t realized how much time had already passed. Side-effects of finals week being over, then. Mina should feel relieved but instead, she felt restless. Maybe it was because of the girl standing next to her, stretching her arms up towards the sky and letting out a long-drawn yawn.

“That was _so_ good,” Nayeon exclaimed happily. Then she looked over at Mina. “Are you taking the train?” 

Mina nodded as she scratched her neck. “How were your finals, unnie?” she asked. The duo started walking to the nearest train station, the start of a conversation settling in between them with ease.

“Hell,” Nayeon replied, “I had to backtrack on a lot of reading. It might not look like it but I study as hard as you undergrads too!” She sent a cheeky smile at Mina’s way.

A question rose from the depths of Mina’s mind. It came so easily that she realized it had always been there, waiting for the right moment to strike. It was, after all, the main reason why she felt so drawn towards Nayeon. “How do you do it?” she questioned, her voice so quiet, so low, that if Nayeon wasn’t paying such close attention, she might not have heard it.

“Do what?” 

Mina struggled with collecting her thoughts. “Be so… spontaneous,” she clarified nervously, tucking an errant strand of hair behind her ear, “Like, you’re always on the move or something. How can you handle having a part-time job, being a grad student, doing your coffee shop runs, singing at open mics, and even attending parties that you get invited into? If I did all that, my brain would explode.”

Nayeon’s answer was swift, “Because I want to.” At Mina’s puzzled expression, she let out a soft sigh. “My philosophy in life is simple, Mina-yah: YOLO.” 

Mina jerked back as a reflex. “YOLO?” she repeated incredulously, “ _You only live once_? Really? That’s your philosophy?” 

The older girl shrugged, looking dead serious. “Well, it’s true, isn’t it? You only have one life so I try to squeeze in everything I want to do before it ends.” She laughed, realizing how it must’ve sounded. “I mean, not to be morbid or anything but I’ve always had that thinking even when I was young.”

“You’re still young now,” Mina pointed out. 

“Young- _er_ , then.” Nayeon was full on grinning now, heart-shaped lips pulled back to reveal that bunny smile of hers. “I’m older now so I don’t have the same stamina I used to have when I was in high school. God, you should hear all about the crazy shit Jeong and I got into in our senior year. It was a miracle that we managed to graduate in the first place.”

Mina couldn’t say the same for herself. She graduated Valedictorian, after all. But she didn’t bring that up as she and Nayeon continued to walk under flickering streetlights. 

“Do you remember the first time we met?” Nayeon asked, “Back in that coffee shop?” 

“Second,” Mina corrected her gently. Nayeon looked sharply at her and she shrugged. “That was the second time we met.” 

“Oh, right. Yeah.” There was a knowing look in the older girl’s eyes. “Anyway, do you remember what I told you back then?” 

Of course Mina remembered but she waited for Nayeon to say it for her. 

“I asked you what was the point of living if you weren’t doing what you wanted.” 

Mina nodded slowly. The train station came in view but she didn’t want to go home. Not yet. For some reason, her heart was hammering loudly inside her chest. Nayeon was still looking at her, eyes bright and cheeks flushed because of the cold. Or was it because of the cold? Mina wasn’t sure. What she was sure of, however, was her own cheeks burning because of the way she was being stared at. She thought of Park Sooyoung’s party then and how Nayeon had challenged her. _You’re cute when you’re trying to prove something._

“Are you doing what you want, Mina-yah?” Nayeon asked carefully. Her gaze was steady. This was another challenge, Mina knew. 

She was thinking very hard now. The third time they met. The bottle of soju in Nayeon’s hand. Her bold-faced statement. _Live a little, Mina-ssi_. 

A minute passed. Disappointment flickered in Nayeon’s eyes. She took a step towards the train station. And in a sudden moment of clarity, Mina remembered Sana’s words: _When it comes to love, you can’t logic your way in and out of it. It just happens. Sometimes, it happens without you realizing it._

“I know what I want,” she said, her voice a bit too loud even for her own ears; she heard Nayeon turn towards her expectantly. 

“Yeah?” the older girl asked.

Mina inhaled a deep breath. She took a deliberate step forward and then another. Her hands were shaking so she shoved them into the pockets of her coat. Nayeon didn’t budge. The moment felt so precious and fragile. One wrong move and everything could fall apart. The same way Mina could enter the wrong number into her calculator and find herself staring at an ERROR sign. She didn’t want that to happen. She had to be careful but she also had to be spontaneous. How can she do that? Saying _I want you_ out loud seemed too cheesy but maybe that was what Nayeon was waiting for, if her expectant eyes were anything to go by. But Mina wanted something more—she wanted to catch Nayeon by surprise too.

So, she stepped closer—close enough to hear the slight intake of breath Nayeon took—and tilted her head upwards. She saw the older girl closing her eyes in anticipation. It was at that moment that Mina decided to shut her brain off. She listened to what her body wanted and what her body wanted was to wrap her palms around Nayeon’s round cheeks, tug her close, brush their noses together, and kiss her. So she did just that. 

Nayeon tasted like the ramen she had eaten earlier but underneath, Mina could detect a hint of grapefruit lip balm. The kiss was soft—just the press of their lips together but Mina felt her chest go so warm that it felt like a fire had just started inside it. This was the first time she truly desperately wanted something. And to have it in the palm of her hands made her so happy she couldn’t help but steal another kiss when Nayeon started to pull away. 

Nayeon was blushing so hard her entire face resembled a tomato but her lips were spread into a wide smile and Mina took that as a good sign. 

“I think I’ve always wanted to do that,” she confessed, her voice small. She tried to take a step back but the older girl grabbed her by the wrist, keeping her close. 

“Then do it again.” Realizing how needy she probably sounded, Nayeon cleared her throat and loosened her grip. “I mean… you should do what you want to do, you know?” She wasn’t being slick or subtle even in the slightest but Mina didn’t mind. 

“Not now.” She checked her phone. It was already 10 PM. Nayeon let go of her wrist but Mina was quick to intertwine their fingers together. “Maybe when we’re on the train. It’s getting late. I have a—” Then she realized she had nothing to study for tomorrow since finals were already over. The thought made her smile. “Nevermind, I think we can enjoy another stroll around the block, don’t you think?”

"If that's what you want," Nayeon replied.

Mina glanced down at their joined hands and met Nayeon's gaze once more. "Yeah," she said, her smile widening, "it is." 

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to support me (pls do I'm in between jobs right now) or just talk about my fics, here are my links: 
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